Homeschooling - what am I not thinking of?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm planning on homeschooling C for next year (open to beyond that but one day at a time). Leaning towards a Classical Conversations/Montessori hybrid approach.

We like CC for it's emphasis on public speaking, rhetoric, and inclusion of scripture in memory work. It is not a complete curriculum (just a framework) so you have to choose curricula for math/reading/writing. Those subjects I will do a Montessori approach.

We will add lots of read alouds that align with the history, geography and science of the CC curriculum. She is reading but very much a beginner so she and I will alternate reading aloud. The science cycle next year will focus on anatomy/chemistry. The history/geography will be on US history/geography.

I will also add in Montessori practical life and sensorial activities as we have time. CC includes music and fine art at a very basic level so we may add to that but it's not my forte so we will see.

That's my plan. What am I missing? I like CC for the community and accountability aspect (they meet once a week). We will add dance, tennis, and maybe soccer for other attempts to make friends.

Who's done this? [MENTION=1247]GrayMatterWife[/MENTION], [MENTION=1768]scrub-jay[/MENTION], [MENTION=1358]v-girl[/MENTION]?

I'm just trying to get organized right now. I'm not actually stressed about it, I just like to think/budget ahead if possible.


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[scrub-jay]

Homeschooling - what am I not thinking of?

I think you've got a sound plan. In my limited experience, I overhauled our homeschool and we have now found a better rhythm. I'd purchased a boxed curriculum, then ditched it completely about a month in, too many worksheets was a poor fit for my dd. We now have a much more eclectic homeschool style that still aligns with Charlotte Mason and follows the classical learning pattern. We use some Montessori manipulatives in our math curriculum. We added robotics and engineering as unit studies based on her interest. It's a work in progress as I continue to get to see how my child learns and how it may differ from me. So my only advice, especially when C is young, is to allow yourself to tweak as you go along. My dd already had it in Montessori, but I loved how she learned cursive before printing.

[MrsK]

Honest question. How do you occupy your younger children while you homeschool? One of my biggest struggles is when I have to do homework with K1. The younger kids interrupt me and distract him. He wants to do what they are doing. If I get them occupied and away from us, I feel like I'm neglecting them.

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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Well I'll defer to those actively doing it but we started this year so I do have some experience.

I have lots and lots of Montessori practical life activities that D adores that are only options for her when I'm working with C. Things like pouring water, transferring things, etc. Her current favorite is scrubbing all the sweet potatoes and then wrapping in foil before I bake them. She likes that's she's helping to cook dinner. Through trial and error, she's learned that if she abuses these materials they will no longer be available to her and she will be relegated to the playroom by herself. Since this is obviously torture, she mostly behaves within reason.

That being said, D will do CC with us on mondays and then hopefully 3 days of messy, play based preschool each week to occupy her.


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I think you've got a sound plan. In my limited experience, I overhauled our homeschool and we have now found a better rhythm. I'd purchased a boxed curriculum, then ditched it completely about a month in, too many worksheets was a poor fit for my dd. We now have a much more eclectic homeschool style that still aligns with Charlotte Mason and follows the classical learning pattern. We use some Montessori manipulatives in our math curriculum. We added robotics and engineering as unit studies based on her interest. It's a work in progress as I continue to get to see how my child learns and how it may differ from me. So my only advice, especially when C is young, is to allow yourself to tweak as you go along. My dd already had it in Montessori, but I loved how she learned cursive before printing.

Super helpful.
How do you not get swamped and overwhelmed with creative ideas and different options when planning activities like unit studies. I feel like I already spend a LOT of time with my laminator and printer and we aren't even FT yet.


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[scrub-jay]

Super helpful.
How do you not get swamped and overwhelmed with creative ideas and different options when planning activities like unit studies. I feel like I already spend a LOT of time with my laminator and printer and we aren't even FT yet.


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I keep ongoing lists in my bullet journal and most of my unit studies are chapter-based from a spine, engineering being an exception and that's project-based Lego programming. We're doing a unit on world religions (her interest) so we have a spine text that guides us and I add in supplementary field trips, library books, and activities as her interest dictates. I don't over-plan the units because I'd be changing them too frequently. I build out the framework and let her questions guide how we fill in the meat. She isn't very interested in coloring or artsy-craftsy supplementation, but she built an entire Egyptian tomb in minecraft (including traps and false passageways) on her own while waiting in the doctor's office.
It's first grade, we'll be studying many of these subjects again, so allowing her to whet her appetite and encouraging her to follow her interests in each subject creates the foundation we can build upon in the future.

[MrsK]

Well I'll defer to those actively doing it but we started this year so I do have some experience.

I have lots and lots of Montessori practical life activities that D adores that are only options for her when I'm working with C. Things like pouring water, transferring things, etc. Her current favorite is scrubbing all the sweet potatoes and then wrapping in foil before I bake them. She likes that's she's helping to cook dinner. Through trial and error, she's learned that if she abuses these materials they will no longer be available to her and she will be relegated to the playroom by herself. Since this is obviously torture, she mostly behaves within reason.

That being said, D will do CC with us on mondays and then hopefully 3 days of messy, play based preschool each week to occupy her.


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That wouldn't work with mine. K1 would be leaving the table to scrub potatoes. K2 would be making a mess or complaing about doing chores.

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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I keep ongoing lists in my bullet journal and most of my unit studies are chapter-based from a spine, engineering being an exception and that's project-based Lego programming. We're doing a unit on world religions (her interest) so we have a spine text that guides us and I add in supplementary field trips, library books, and activities as her interest dictates. I don't over-plan the units because I'd be changing them too frequently. I build out the framework and let her questions guide how we fill in the meat. She isn't very interested in coloring or artsy-craftsy supplementation, but she built an entire Egyptian tomb in minecraft (including traps and false passageways) on her own while waiting in the doctor's office.
It's first grade, we'll be studying many of these subjects again, so allowing her to whet her appetite and encouraging her to follow her interests in each subject creates the foundation we can build upon in the future.

How do you select spine texts? Sounds like you're "following the child" beautifully.


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

That wouldn't work with mine. K1 would be leaving the table to scrub potatoes. K2 would be making a mess or complaing about doing chores.

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You've got to find something that grabs his attention that is only offered during these times. Whether that's special Lego or dinner prep. And if she whines, like I said, she gets sent alone to the playroom which is basically akin to torture. And if she misbehaves in the playroom, then it would be somewhere more boring next time. Their bedrooms are very boring for the reason that I like to be able to change things in and out. So they're fundamentally boring but then they are allowed to bring things in and out for quiet time. C has lately chosen Lego or sewing while D usually chooses coloring. They share a room but do quiet time separately.


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[scrub-jay]

How do you select spine texts? Sounds like you're "following the child" beautifully.


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Trial and error? Which is why I have 5 different history spines! We've finally narrowed down our favorites. Other times our "spines" for units are based on awesome books I found at the library sale, which is why I have a unit on the history of longitude/latitude, sea travel, and how maps were made! I loosely follow a program for history, but we skip the artsy stuff that dd despises. We love our timeline and our map work. She loves being read to and retains it phenomenally, so it's a lot of reading aloud ala Charlotte Mason.
To find good spines for various topics, I ask around on fb or at our co-op. Many times, the same general spine titles come up over and over again, so then it's a matter of checking them out from the library or buying on the cheap and perusing.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Got any tips for American History? CC will focus on US history/geography next year.


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[scrub-jay]

Got any tips for American History? CC will focus on US history/geography next year.


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The American Story Series by Betsy Maestro. Maestro's series isn't a full curriculum, more supplemental or a starting point, but I like how she avoids the "the US started with Columbus" rhetoric that can be found in some texts. We've done the first one (prehistory through Columbus) so far, it was an easy read with lovely illustrations. We're primarily doing Ancient History this year, but I wanted to build a foundation for US History as well.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

The American Story Series by Betsy Maestro. Maestro's series isn't a full curriculum, more supplemental or a starting point, but I like how she avoids the "the US started with Columbus" rhetoric that can be found in some texts. We've done the first one (prehistory through Columbus) so far, it was an easy read with lovely illustrations. We're primarily doing Ancient History this year, but I wanted to build a foundation for US History as well.

I'll check it out, thanks for the recommendation!
I'm going to supplement the US history curriculum for sure...I know she's young but a history of old white men isn't going to cut it in 2017. Plan to add at least the role of women/POC in the history.

[scrub-jay]

I'll check it out, thanks for the recommendation!
I'm going to supplement the US history curriculum for sure...I know she's young but a history of old white men isn't going to cut it in 2017. Plan to add at least the role of women/POC in the history.

Exactly! History is one of those topics that will always have bias because there's always another perspective that isn't being represented. Fortunately, when homeschooling, you get to teach your child to critically think about what side of the story is missing. I'm in a homeschoolers fb group that focuses on teaching the perspective of the non-dominant cultures around the world, I've found that provides some awesome resources. As for women, we've been doing women engineers and scientists because of dd's love of engineering.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

This is a weakness of CC in my opinion. Because it is classical and has an element of Bible learning (a positive in my book), it naturally has weaknesses in teaching things like the role of women/other cultures. But luckily, it's only a framework and not a curriculum so I can add in whatever I want to supplement.

I will also have to supplement for evolution which they teach as a theory but not strongly enough in the upper grades. Luckily I'm a bio major so that's easy. The irony is that many CC families do no extensions on evolution bc that's uncomfortable for them.

It's hard to find a secular classical model. And I do like the Bible memory aspect.


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